On 6 May 2023, Westminster Abbey will become the center of attention as it gathers large numbers of world leaders, royalty, aristocrats and politicians at the coronation ceremony of Charles III and his queen consort, Camilla. This ceremony has been organized for more than a decade and is one of the most important within the events of the British monarchy, which is why all members of the royal family gather to start a new reign. However, the ongoing controversies with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with the premiere of their documentary for Netflix could damage this solemn act, so some people close to the king warned him about the possible consequences of inviting his son and daughter-in-law to his coronationfor which they advised the Sussexes not to participate in the coronation of Carlos III.
According to the Daily Mail, a group of British politicians, soldiers and historians said they were against the participation of the Sussexes in this important ceremony. This group consists of Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of the Conservative Party, his colleague David Mellor, historian Lady Antonia Fraser, Conservative MP Bob Seely, historian Lord Andrew Roberts and retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry, who said “The coronation is another red carpet event for them, and they’re likely to come and talk about it.” For his part, Iain Duncan Smith said: “If they hate the royal family so much, I don’t see why they want to attend the coronation.”
However, it was David Mellor who stated that the dukes could be booed if they approached Westminster Abbey: “They make money by selling their family along the river. I think it should be clear that the British don’t want them there. They shouldn’t come to the coronation. They categorically should not come. People don’t want them either, so they’d have a legitimate right to boo them if the couple showed up. Similarly, Lady Antonia Fraser has indicated that the presence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could divert the attention of King Carlos III and Queen Camilla, who are expected to be the most relevant figures in a traditional ceremony that is no longer held 70 years old. .
Meghan and Harry: disadvantaged by British polls
According to “The Mail on Sunday”, a poll found nearly half of Britons agree the Sussexes should not attend this event. Furthermore, 44% of respondents assured that they were in favor of the Sussexes losing their peerages and also indicated that they agreed that Prince Harry should be excluded from the line of succession to the British throne in which he occupies the 5th position , behind his brother William and his nephews: George, Charlotte and Louis. This percentage doubles that of those who believe the Dukes of Sussex should maintain their status within the royal family.
